Scots to increase smoking age

5th June 2007

The legal age for buying tobacco in Scotland will be raised from 16 to 18 in October.

The move was backed by the previous Scottish Executive, and will also come into force in England and Wales. The announcement was made by Scotland’s Public Health Minister Shona Robison during a primary school visit. Figures published recently by the Scottish Executive say there have been reductions in the number of schoolchildren who smoked in the last two years.

The Scottish Grocers' Federation welcomed the move but said the decision would put pressure on shop workers to police the new law.